Rolling fireproof curtain



7 N0. 6|0,543 Patented Sept. l3, I898.

W. R. KINNEAR.

ROLLING FIREPROOF CURTAIN.

( Application filed July 28, 18974 (No Model.) 2 Shady-Sheet I.

A TTORNEY No. 6|0,543. Patented Sept. l3, I898.

W. R.- KINNEAR. 4

ROLLING FIREPROOF CURTAIN. (Application filed July 2a, 1897.) (NoModel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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WITNESSES A TTORNER m: NORRIS PETERS on whom umo WASNlNGTOIL 0. cv

NITED STATES WILLIAM R. KINNEAR, or oo LUMBUs, OHIO.

ROLLING FIREPROOF CURTAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610, 543, datedSeptember 13, 1898. Application filed July 28, 1897. Serial No. 646,182.(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern):

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. KINNEAR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Golumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rolling FireproofOurtains; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same;

The object of my present invention is to construct a framing for avertically-moving rolling fireproof curtain in which the curtain isguided and held within certain boundaries during its entire movement, sothat it shall not be necessary to lock the slats composing the curtainfrom longitudinal movement upon each other and so that the curtain shalltherefore roll up more compactly than when such locking devices arepresent.

Another object of my present invention is to provide an improved form ofslat for the construction of metallic curtains.

My invention consists in the details of construction hereinafter setforth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevational view of awindow equipped with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalView, taken on a larger scale, of the upper portion of a windowcontaining my improvements. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view takenthrough the curtain-roller. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are side, edge, andhorizontal sectional views, respectively, of the heads in which thecurtain-roller is mounted; and Figs. 7 and 8 are edge and face views,respectively, of a fraction of a curtain made of my improved slats.

The vertical sides of the ordinary windowcasing are furnished withmetallic channels 1, extending from the bottom nearly to the top of thewindow. Arranged at the upper ends of these channels are (right andleft) heads 2, formed, preferably, of cast metal and in one piece,substantially as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. These heads have walls 2inwardly-projecting flanges 2 around their outer edges, and a roundedprojection 2, form ing a kind of mouth to allow the curtain to unrollfreely from the roller. At the inner pinion sprocket-wheel 7 tain shallnot move longitudinally upon each other, thereby affecting itsintegrity.

As metallic curtains are necessarily somewhat heavy, I prefer to use aspring-roller 3, constructed on the principle of what'is commonly knownas the I-Iartshorn roller, and this is mounted in openings in the heads,one part of the shaft thereof being fixed and the other part beingmovable, so that as the curtain is unrolled the spring is wound up andits power stored for use in raising or assisting in raising the curtainwhen the curtain is to be rolled up. 4 designates the curtain, which maybe of any approved form, but preferably constructed of slats like thoseshown in Figs. 7 and S. This curtain is attached to the roller and hasits lower edge furnished with a strip of angle-iron that abuts againstthe projections 2 on the heads when drawn up, these projections servingas stops to prevent-the curtain from 7 being drawn into the casing atthe top of the window.

The movable shaft of the curtain-roller projects sufficiently beyond thehead to receive a sprocket-wheel 5, and inside the building in asuitable bracket 6 I arrange another sprocket-wheel 7, having formedtherewith A sprocket-chain 8 connects the sprockets 5 and 7, so thatwhen motion is imparted to the sprocket 7 by means of a hand-chain 9 onthe sprocket ,7 the curtain may be wound or unwound, as the case may be.

In order to protect the curtain-roller and the remaining operative partsfrom weather and the window casing and frame from fire, as well as toenhance the appearance of the window, I'provide a sheet-metal cover 10,that is hinged upon pins 2 on the lower parts of the heads 2, so as tobe capable of being swung outward, as indicated in Fig.2 thus afiordingaccess to the curtain-roller, sprocket to each other.

5, and chain 8. place by means of screwsentering the rim of the heads 2,as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

My improved curtain-slat is formed of a strip of sheet metal bent at itsedges to form two grooves 11, with its middle portion v12 standingsubstantially at right angles to a plane passing through both grooves.In bending the strip a small slit or opening 13 is left sufficientlylarge to permit the tongue or wall of a groove of one slat to beinserted longitudinally into the groove of another. By putting aconsiderable number of slats thus togethera flexible metallic fabric isformed, the

individual slats of which are capable of a hinge-like movement upon eachother, but which cannot be parted laterally with respect It may beremarked here that this new form of slat is a modification of that shownin my former patent, No. 572,014, dated 7 between which said shaft ordrum is jour-' naled, the inner sides of which are in line with thegrooves of the window-frame, whereby the curtain-slats are held fromlongitudinal movement on each other, substantially as described.

This cover 10 is secured in 2. In combination with a flexible rollingcurtain, a shaft or drum around which the curtain is to be rolled, headsbetween which said shaft is journaled having rounded lateral projectionscast or formed integral and stationary therewith and constituting guidesfor the edges of the curtain, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a flexible rolling curtain, a shaft or drumaround which the curtain may be rolled, heads between which said shaftis journaled, and a cap or coverforinclosing said curtain hinged orpivoted to said heads, substantially as described.

4. A slat for flexible curtains and the like consisting of a strip ofmetal bent longitudinally to form two channels or grooves the middleportion of said slat being unbent and standing transversely across themouth of both grooves or substantially at right angles to the plane ofthe slat so as to permit said slats to be slid upon each otherlongitudinally and to move upon each other with a hingelike movement butto prevent their separation laterally, substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, WILLIAM RKINNEAR. Witnesses:

WV. H. LOTT,

F. E. MARTIN.

